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In May 1985, an anti-alcohol campaign was launched in the USSR. By this time, the scale of drunkenness in the Land of Soviets was catastrophic, which did not at all fit with the image of a decent and sober Soviet citizen.
But judging by the stories of my parents and other relatives, even harsh measures could not overcome the love of the common people for strong drinks.
“As people with the most non-standard ingenuity in the world, we quickly learned to increase the degree of port obtained with a fight and be content with bread dipped in vodka. But the best life hacks of the late 80s, perhaps, were moonshine stills and the famous “Triple Cologne,” my father laughed.
Tell how it was in reality and justified itself?
What is Prohibition, when was it introduced and why
Attempts to introduce “dry law” were periodically made all over the world, the USSR was no exception. The corresponding resolutions of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers, as well as the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were adopted with a difference of 10 days in May 1985 and lasted until the early 90s. with only minor adjustments.
Demonstration in defense of the “dry law” in the USSR.
This was done, of course, with the best of intentions: the country needed sober citizens who could work well for the benefit of the economy, create strong families, and give birth to healthy offspring. It was also planned to defeat crime and injuries caused by alcohol consumption.
The media methodically reported on the anti-alcohol campaign. Vodka went up in price from 4 to 9 rubles, and they began to sell it at clearly defined hours (from 2 to 7), provoking kilometer-long queues and crushes.
Father says that jokes about “a sober wedding as a road to an immaculate conception” no longer seemed so funny. “We quickly responded to the dry letter of the “dry” law with a new replenishment of the folklore base.”
A relevant anecdote of that time: An announcement in a tram: “Stop “Wine Shop”. The next station is “End of the line to the liquor store”.
Did the citizens obey, was there any punishment for this?
In the USSR, for the most part, the Law was honored and respected. But not this one. “Having lost the opportunity to consume purchased booze, people joined the moonshine,” says the father. According to the precepts of Ilf and Petrov, the most daring recipes were used: wheat, barley, malt, from an “ordinary stool”.
Alcohol even became a currency: a bottle – to chop firewood, two – to dig a garden.
The line at the liquor store.
For violation of the law, punishment was supposed: a fine, a reprimand, labor work, dismissal. Members of the party, as well as the management of enterprises found to be drinking strong drinks in the workplace, were deprived of their positions and membership cards (an unthinkable punishment for that time, according to my grandfather). Ordinary people were threatened with a fine of 20% of their salary.
Only those over the age of 21 were allowed to sell and take alcohol on their breasts. Younger drinkers could be thrown out of the university and probably burdened their parents with fines. True, not everyone was afraid of such a punishment …
Large fines and administrative liability were provided for violation of the “dry law”.
Was there any benefit from the “dry law”
Despite our dislike for Prohibition, its effectiveness cannot be underestimated. During its operation, we have reduced crime by 70%, stopped skipping work due to hangovers or hard drinking, and almost defeated the death rate due to alcohol poisoning.
Later, statistics will give stunning figures: more than 1,38 million lives of Soviet people were saved, who could get intoxicated or worse, as a result of drinking alcohol.
“At the same time, by replacing liqueurs with peaceful family evenings, we established contact with wives and contributed to the population boom,” my father chuckled. According to 1987 data, there were 2,2 children for every woman in the Union.
During the period of Prohibition, families were strengthened, the birth rate increased and the death rate decreased.
Why was the “dry law” canceled
“With all their efforts, people could not produce as much underground moonshine as they needed for those who wished, especially since an article was relied on for moonshine,” said the father. But not only popular riots led to the curtailment of the anti-alcohol campaign.
Liquor stores opened at 2pm. The queues in them often occupied since the night.
Until 1985, the retail sale of alcohol annually replenished the state budget by 25%. The total losses from the anti-alcohol campaign were estimated at 100 billion rubles. As a result, they first stopped promoting sobriety, then the restriction on the sale of alcohol was lifted.
Much later, Gorbachev, nicknamed by us the “mineral secretary,” admits that a good idea was initially a failure, since a softer process of its implementation and implementation was required.
“In the end, the Prohibition, of course, was useful both on a national scale and for each of us. In part, we have become healthier, we have come up with many alternative ways to relax, ”the father noted philosophically from the height of the past years.
“But the people have learned to drink any Burdomaga and cook vodka from everything that came to hand.”
What do you remember about those times? What tricks did your relatives use to stock up on vodka for a wedding or New Year?
*Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health!